This Ship's Not Done Sailing
by sweetdefiance
Summary: A sort of prequel and continuation of the movie's plot, which in itself is also altered slightly. What would have happened if Jack Sparrow had decided to keep a few Aztec coins for himself?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own _Pirates of the Caribbean_, its plot, or its characters.OR _Romeo and Juliet. _All original characters arethe works of myown imagination and belong to me. If you want to use them, just ask me and I'lldefinitely say yes because that's likeone of my life goals-to havesomeone else using mycharacters. Doubtful it's going to happen though.

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Chapter One

Juliet looked out of her window in Port Royale, smelling the salty sea air and watching the older women going about their business in the early morning. Only seventeen, she had no duties to be attending to besides going to the market today to get eggs and fish. _Eggs and fish... This is my life's accomplishment—buying provisions at a market._ She pulled a navy blue dress over her petticoats and then combed out her long dark hair, deciding not to pull her wavy tresses back today.

She nodded to her family maid on her way out of the house, basket under her arm. The maid smiled, knowing that these were difficult times for Juliet. Last week she had received word of the death of her father at sea. This left her orphaned, as her mother had died from birth complications years ago. Now that both parents were gone, she was on her own. There was nothing left for her but a small pile of money in the bank—definitely not enough to live the rest of her life on but enough to tide her over until she arranged a good source of income.

Choosing to buy her fish first, Juliet headed to the wharf, pointedly ignoring the whistles that the raucous sailors threw in her direction as she walked by. She waltzed into her usual fishery to buy today's lunch. She told her order to the friendly old cashier, and then let him know that she'd be back in fifteen minutes to pick it up. She stepped outside and hastily bought an apple for her breakfast. She found a barrel about ten feet away from the stand and sat there to eat and watch the people around her. There were a lot of familiar faces… people she'd seen around town, merchants who'd stopped here to refuel, soldiers and the like, but today there seemed to be more strangers than were usual. Juliet noticed that a great ship had berthed in the harbour overnight. The _Black Pearl_… a slightly dark name for such a magnificent ship, but there didn't seem to be any hard evidence that this was indeed a pirate's vessel.

Juliet continued watching her neighbours and her gaze fell on one such stranger probably about her age. The brilliant Caribbean sun had kissed his skin into its beautiful bronze-tan hue. His hair was long and messy, dreaded, braided, and adorned with multicoloured beads. Currently he was arguing with the stand's owner over the price of cassava bread.

"How's a young sailor such as myself supposed to find anything to eat if you're going to go about charging this inordinate amount for a slight loaf a' bammie?"

She couldn't hear what the owner had responded, but it was presumably not to the sailor's liking, for he suddenly blew up with exasperation.

"Now, sir, I do hope you didn't mean that last comment to impugn me financial state! Just because I'm not willin' to throw my hard-earned wages at your feet does _not_ mean I am little more than an insignificant street whelp! You know, I'm not even sure if I'd like to purchase the bammie anymore, anyways… I was also thinking of picking up a few of these mangos to go with my breakfast, but I'm sure I have enough of 'em on me good ship—_Patience_, we call her."

Juliet noticed that as he spoke, he picked up an apple and gestured with it, waving it in the air. He turned his head and detected her silent observation of him; she quickly became very interested in her own half-eaten apple. After a few moments, she looked back up and listened in on his story. He was now digging a short fingernail into the apple as he told about his ship.

"Yes, she's a merchant craft. We're on our way to good old England ourselves, carrying almost every commodity imaginable. We've got spices from India—nasty things, if I may say so—you get 'em in your eye and you'll be blinded for a day! Sugar, we have, too… people can't get enough of it in our beloved motherland. Call me no gypsy or fortuneteller, but I'll say if you all keep producing such fine sugar, you will indeed have many years to come in the West Indies!"

The brazen fellow excavated into the apple the entire time.

"Good sir, your senseless chatter has caused a line to form behind me. Now do let me pay for me mangos and bammie!"

Juliet watched as he put the loaf of bread, three mangos, and one apple into the burlap sack he'd slung around his shoulder. The stand's owner saw this and protested.

"No, no! This is my own apple! I've had it with me the whole while! See, I've even taken a bite out of it!"

Satisfied with the round lack of apple, the owner waved him out and shouted for the next customer. The deck hand Juliet had been viewing approached her confidently. With an unseen level of familiarity, he sat himself down on a barrel right next to hers and looked attentively into her face. After a few seconds he said simply,

"Hello."

"Good morning, sir."

"I'm Jack."

"Jack the Apple Thief."

"Yes, but some call me Jack Sparrow. And, if I may, I'm very curious as to the fair lady's name."

Francesca Benedict, the belle of the town, had been milling about the harbour waiting for her father to come home from a naval mission. Juliet assumed he was interested in her, as most men were, and so she fixed her eyes upon the more popular young lady. Jack turned, and looked at her as well, then looked back at Juliet questioningly. At the fishery, the cashier clanged a loud bell yelling "ORDER 17! ORDER 17!" As that was Juliet's order, she stood matter-of-factly, smoothing her dress.

"Her name is Francesca Benedict. Her father is the captain of the _Dauntless_, which should be arriving momentarily. I wish you luck with her, but I should warn you that she doesn't usually involve herself with every dashing young sailor she meets at the harbour. Good day, sir; I am off to buy fish and eggs."

Juliet picked up her purchase, a paper-wrapped package. Jack remained seated on his barrel and watched her turn the corner. _Now that's interesting…_ He reached into his bag and pulled out a green glass bottle of rum. Just as he was about to bite the cork off, a young girl flounced next to him. Admittedly, the first thing that Jack noticed about this girl was the size of her breasts, which her dress had done almost nothing to hide. Jack slowly lifted his eyes upwards to settle on her face.

"Is this seat taken?" Francesca asked, leaning forward to expose her chest even further to him.

"By all means, no!" Jack grinned, revealing splendidly white teeth in his debonair smile.

"I am Francesca Benedict," she introduced, offering him her hand. He kissed it seductively.

"I am quite pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Benedict."

"I'm getting bored standing here and waiting for my father," she giggled, placing her hand on Jack's knee. "Would you like to entertain me until he arrives?"

"Well, Miss Benedict, I'm afraid I have errands to be running, but I'll be sure to completely ravage you some other time."

"Why, aren't you bold!"

Jack smiled and winked, then turned the corner and rolled his eyes. _Now where's my observant little pet?_

Juliet was in line to pay for her eggs when she heard a man's whisper in her ear.

"Did you know that you have self esteem issues, miss?"

"Excuse me, sir, I--" Juliet began. She turned and saw Jack. "What are you doing here?"

"Conversing. It is interesting, you know, that when I asked the name of a fair lady, you automatically assumed I meant the marshmallow of yellow petticoats that advanced upon me the minute you left."

"Didn't you mean Francesca? I mean, she's the only one people are interested in."

"No, she's not the only one," Jack said, taking Juliet's hand and kissing it. "I wish to know _your_ name."

Juliet was taken aback—this had never happened to her before. Ever since she could remember, boys were only going after Francesca, never her. Yes, the sailors at the harbour seemed interested enough, but with months at sea with only other men, they'd whistle at any two-legged female.

"J-Juliet."

"And as fair as the noble Capulet, my dear," he said, kissing her hand again. He grinned and added an undertone in her ear, "but I have more important matters to discuss with you."

"What would those be, Mr. Sparrow?"

"You think I'm dashing." Jack batted his eyelashes and laughed.

"Well, I meant to say, oh, yes, I guess—" Juliet handed her shillings to the cashier, who replied "Thank you, Miss Cortés," letting Jack know of Juliet's last name.

"Cortés! Cortés! Surely a descendant of the exceptional explorer himself?"

"Yes, well, I don't know, sir."

"Call me Jack, Miss Cortés. I'm naught but a simple sailor."

"And apple thief."

"And apple thief," he conceded. He took a dangerously low bow, but was startled to discover that she had meandered away during his dip.

Juliet needed to get home to give this fish, whose stench was beginning to permeate the air around her, to the cook before she smelt of the sea forevermore. She stepped lightly and quickly through the cobblestone streets of Port Royale as she found her way to her medium-sized home at the top of a hill.

"Please do let me carry your basket for you," Jack said, popping out from behind a bush.

"How did you…what are you…" Juliet asked breathlessly.

"The red flower of my heart for my beautiful Spanish lady!" Jack produced a delicate blossom from behind his back and offered it to Juliet. She took it, blushing. Suddenly Jack snatched her basket of food and looped his arm through hers.

"Now, I will carry your basket up this hill for you, and you will tell me just how dashing I am."

"I'm not entirely sure this is at all proper, Mr. Sparrow, I mean, what if someone sees—"

"Are you embarrassed of me, love?"

"No…"

"Are you remorseful of the deed we did so well all of last night?"

"MISTER SPARROW!"

In a huff, Juliet seized her basket back from Jack and made to run up the hill away from him, but she couldn't get away before he had stolen her hand.

"Now, now, love, I was only jokin'—I didn't mean to offend you! I'm a pi—I'm a sailor, it's in me nature…"

"Mr. Sparrow, _please_ unhand me! I have business to be attending to without the hindrance of a love-deprived sail—were you about to say _pirate_?"

"No, love, no! Nothing but a slip of the tongue, mistake of the lips, oh how my honourable fathers must be turning in their graves!"

Still suspicious, Juliet frowned and turned to walk away, forgetting that Jack still held her hand captive with his own.

"'_If I profane with my unworthiest hand  
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this,-  
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand  
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss._'"

Juliet turned, startled by this sudden burst of Shakespeare. How many pirates are so educated?

"Come on, love, just a quick one?"

"Mr. Sparrow, I have a list of many things to do today and kissing and quoting Shakespeare with a pirate I've just met an hour ago is _not_ on it!"

"You know, Miss Cortés, when I first saw you sitting at the harbour, you seemed quite quiet, but you're actually a little bit feisty."

Juliet turned again to walk away, aggravated.

"But you know, I kind of like you. You're the first girl who has not accepted my advances or romances. Haven't kissed me when I asked. Heavens, you 'aven't even flirted back."

"Good day, Mr. Sparrow."

_Juliet Cortés, we will meet again._


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER—I do not, in any way, own Pirates of the Caribbean, or its plot and characters. Original characters are mine.

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**Chapter Two**

The room was cramped because an imposing wooden desk filled most of it. The walls were dark and the only source of light was a set of oil lamps fixed on the walls on either side of the desk. The whole room smelled of cedar and the only decoration was an old framed map of the New World.

"Miss Cortés, we have carefully assessed your balances here at Worthington and Rose, and our findings have been less than satisfactory." Juliet buried her face in her hands. "We realize that your age makes it difficult to attain a full time profession. Is there any possibility of obtaining an apprenticeship?"

"It's not my age that prevents me from learning any such craft, sir."

"Oh—yes—female… well then, I'm afraid that I'll have to stand by my previous advice -- for you to be married as soon as possible, dear." He stood, indicating that their meeting had completed.

"Thank you, Mr. Rose."

As soon as she had exited the bank, Juliet made her way back to the harbour. She stepped into a bar, _The Fiery Heart_, which was owned by her friend Mary's family. Adjusting to the dim lights and smoky atmosphere, Juliet weaved her way through the crowded tables and slipped behind the bar.

"Hey there, dearie." Mary was tending the lunch pack today and she seemed a little overworked. "You don't look like you're doing so well. Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Juliet said, holding a hand to her forehead.

Mary slid a mug of ale down the bar and stood next to Juliet with her hands on her hips.

"You tell me right now what is wrong with you!"

"Well, the thing is, I'm running out of money… I don't know what to do about it. I can't find a good job anywhere. I'm starting to think that Mr. Rose was right—getting married will be the only way out of this mess."

"Juliet! I thought you said that you would only marry the man you love!"

"The man she loves? You ladies don't happen to be talking about me, now do you?"

There was Jack Sparrow, setting himself down on a stool across from the two girls.

"Hello there, Mr. Sparrow."

"Miss Cortés! I thought we were on more familiar terms by now," he said, smiling.

Mary picked up a few platters of food that had just been placed on the back counter for delivery to their proper tables. "I've got to get back to work," she said. As soon as she was out of Jack's sight, she pointed her thumb at him and winked her approval, and was off in the crowd.

"Mr. Sp—"

"—Jack"

"I think you may be following me."

"I may be."

"What brings you here?"

"Every sailor knows that The Fiery Heart's got the best eats in Port Royale!" This was true.

"Then why haven't you ordered anything?"

"Why do you think I'm sitting at the bar? I can't eat on an empty stomach!"

"Don't you mean you can't _drink_ on an empty stomach?"

"No, no, I meant what I meant. Or said. When I don't have any brandy in me I've got no appetite for anything else. So are you going to serve me or not?"

"Well, I don't really wor—"

"Delightful. I'll have a nice bottle of good ol' Barbados rumbullion!"

Juliet reached under the counter for the bottle, deciding to help Mary with the crowd today. Besides, she could keep any tips she earned. She twirled the silver bottle cap remover around her hand before she popped the cap off; Jack watched, spellbound by the pretty shiny moving object.

"You know your way around a bar."

"Yeah, well, I help out Mary's family out here a lot."

"You don't seem like a drinker, yourself."

"No, sir." Jack expected more. Juliet looked up. "I mean, there's only a certain kind of girl who would be, isn't there?"

Jack took a long draught of his rum and looked at the bottle, interested. As he ran his finger around the tip of it, around and around and around, his eyes following its path, he said, "Not everyone likes that type of girl…" He paused, and then looked up at her. He continued. "I mean, I'm only seventeen… It'd be kind of odd to be with a woman possibly ten years older than me and who's been with hundreds of men, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Yes…hmm…"

"Well what if you decided—" Juliet halted.

More trays of hot food were pushed onto the counter, slips of paper indicating where they were to go. Someone had to transport them, and Mary wasn't around. Juliet snatched the first slip and glanced at it. She picked up the tray and began to zigzag through the maze of tables, leaving Jack to sit at the bar alone drinking his rum. He turned in his chair to scope out the crowd. Most of the clientele were from around town; some were sailors. Jack recognized a few of them, and nodded deliberately, toasting his bottle of rum. His glance fell on Juliet again for a moment—he downed the last of his drink, straightened his jacket, and went after her.

"What are you doing?"

"At the moment?" Juliet said as she set plates of meat in front of hungry seamen. She thought it was clear what she was doing. She wove through the crowded restaurant, somehow balancing multiple trays of food.

"You said you didn't work here," Jack said, following her.

"I don't."

"Where _do_ you work?"

"I don't."

"So how do you live alone?" They paused in their tracks.

"How do you know I live alone?"

"I'm observant. Answer the question."

"Well—I don't think I'll be living there much longer."

"Why is th—oh. Why don't you get a job?"

"No one's hiring." Juliet turned to continue delivering platters of roasted meat.

"You could work here."

"No, they don't really need anyone more here."

"Then what are you going to do?"

Juliet stopped and looked at him, brown eyes sparkling with almost-tears. "I don't know."

Jack appeared to be thinking. His lips twitched, and Juliet knew he had an idea. Whether it was good or not, she was soon to find out.

"Marry me."

"Excuse me?"

"I'll make an honest woman out of you!"

"Mr. Sparrow, I think it's time you left me alone!"

"Fine, fine, but don't think I'm going to wait around for you."

"I'm sure I'll manage." Annoyed, she looked at the door pointedly. Jack nodded his head and twisted through the crowd, out of her line of vision. Juliet craned her neck to be sure that he'd really gone, then shook her head.

Miz Juliett— 

_I no that when you tolld me that it wood be best for me to be finding work somewares else that I sayed that I wood never leeve you, but you see there has been a poster at the dock for jobs in London and as you no my mother has been ill, so this is a good chans for me. I shurly am sorry, but keep yur chin up, Miz Julliett. I no it you will be fine._

The maid was gone. Juliet didn't blame her. She'd made it clear that she had no funds to pay the household servants, and most of them had left. The maid, though, had insisted on staying to help her as a friend. _She doesn't have a bad idea, though._ Juliet's only living family was last known to be in London. _Besides, if they're not there, the flyer says that there's a chance for work in England._

"We're sorry, Miss Cortés, truly we are, but the fact of the matter is that you simply do not have the funds for a trans-Atlantic journey at this time." For the second time that day, Mr. Rose stood to shoo Juliet from the room.

"But that makes no sense! If my _maid_ can afford to travel to London, why can't I?" Juliet was running out of options.

"Miss Cortés, your family has been letting your servants live in your home and eat your food free of charge for years, in addition to paying them. It is no wonder that she could have saved up enough for passage. Good day, miss."

Depressed, Juliet walked along the wharf while looking for food to buy. _How am I going to get to London if I have no money?_ She paused and stared at the ship ahead of her. _Patience_. What had Jack Sparrow said? His ship, _Patience_, was headed to England! 


End file.
